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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Good deed for the day: Cap helped the crew on the sail boat next
to us install their bowsprit. MORE PHOTOS HERE!

We're in Charleston, South Carolina this week, working on the engine . . . and taking your questions about SlowBoatCruising. (Meanwhile, YOU can take our new poll, at right).

Miles Johnson writes:

"What have been your top five places so far, and why?"

Whew. Do we have to pick a mere five?

I'm going take that question and twist the answer a tiny bit. Here are some (just some) of the crew's favorite experiences so far:

Piloting the boat through downtown Chicago in the early morning sunlight, goggling at the skyscrapers and waving to the commuters. Sure, you can make the same trip on a tour boat. But doing it on our own seemed particularly magical.

Cruising down the Mississippi River. OK, virtually every other Looper we have met so far HATED that part of the trip--the mud, the dead trees floating in the water, the big barges bearing down on you. I loved how the scenery mapped so closely to what I'd imagined when reading Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi. (I'd expected to see much more development along the riverbanks.)

Rowing on the Tenn Tom. There were four or five days where we were able to take turns: one person piloting the boat, the other rowing ahead in the dinghy. The trees were at the peak of their autumn color, the water was calm, the air was warm . . . and rowing is really, really fun!

Cruising the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and having dolphins swim right up to the boat and roll over on their sides--clearly putting their eyes in the optimal position to get a good look at this very strange boat.

Meeting people--a sanitary engineer, a towboat captain, a librarian, a businessman-turned-rowing-enthusiast--in random places--on a dock, or at a remote anchorage, or while you're rowing your dinghy to shore--and getting together for a drink and a snack, and listening to hilarious stories, and becoming instant friends.

3 comments:

Renee & I visited "Chucktown" a couple of weeks ago. Visit Virginia's on King for a great meal! Also, the Boulevard Diner on Maybank Highway for food that's gourmet at diner prices. The hummingbird cake was excellent!